According to the city’s police chief, one Mississippi police officer who assisted in the detention and arrest of a 10-year-old boy for urinating in a parking lot is “no longer employed,” and other officers will face repercussions for their roles in the event.
In a Facebook post on Monday, Senatobia Police Chief Richard Chandler shared the information, but he didn’t say whether the departing officer resigned or was fired or what punishment the remaining police would receive. A voicemail left on Tuesday asking Chandler for further information regarding the adjustments didn’t receive a prompt response.
“We are grateful for the public’s patience as we looked into this situation. Chandler noted in the Facebook post that the officers had breached their training on how to deal with children. “We deeply value your trust and support, and we are committed to constantly improving and learning from our mistakes,” Chandler wrote.
The child’s mother informed news organizations that on August 10, when she was at a lawyer’s office, her son urinated behind her car, and that after that, police put him in a squad car and transported him to the police station.
Chandler said that the cops did not charge or handcuff the child and instead issued a citation for a “child in need of services.” Tuesday, it remained unclear if that citation had been revoked.
Senatobia, located about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Memphis, Tennessee, with a population of roughly 8,100 people.